Slim pickings for Hunter in budget

As expected the budget has delivered no new infrastructure projects for the Hunter region, but measures to help families and small business have been welcomed.

The Hunter Business Chamber is disappointed the Treasurer is scrapping the promised one per cent company tax but says initiatives such as the loss carry-back tax break will help small businesses.

But Chamber CEO Kristen Keegan says once again the region's missed out on new infrastructure projects.

"Particularly in the Upper Hunter as a direct result of mining," she said.

University of Newcastle economist , Professor Bill Mitchell says there is little in the budget to stimulate the Hunter's fragile economy.

Professor Mitchell, who holds the Research Chair in Economics at the University, says the fiscal contraction needed to shift the budget from a huge deficit to a $1.5 billion surplus will damage the Hunter's economy.

He says the region has also been denied new infrastructure projects that would also help stimulate the economy.

"What the Australian economy needs right now is some big projects, the economy is slowing," he said.

But Federal Newcastle MP Sharon Grierson says there is plenty in the budget for existing projects.

"Like the northern Sydney freight corridor, the Hexham Loop and big money for councils on roads to recovery."

Ms Grierson says the Hunter will also benefit from the continuation of the Pacific Highway duplication.

Federal Paterson MP Bob Baldwin has described it as a "cooking the books" budget that will see more Hunter workers on unemployment queues.

"What they've done is increase the burden on business making it less affordable to employ people," he said.

"They're going to be hit with increased costs through a carbon tax which will make it harder to employ people.

"This budget undermines unemployment so much that it's expectation is that unemployment will increase to 5.5 percent next year."

Samaritans Hunter CEO Cec Shevels says it is good to see the Government deliver on assistance for battlers but he is disappointed there is nothing to ease the rental burden.

"There was nothing in the budget to address this problem of a lack of affordable housing in our region."

Hunter Urban Medicare local is happy with the continued health reforms.

CEO of Hunter Urban Medicare Local, Mark Foster says the money will be beneficial for providing care outside of hospitals.

"With things like the disability insurance scheme and the dental care and also the Government's aged care package, they're all investments supporting people to get their care outside of the hospital system.

"The other thing that it's good to see in there is the Government's continuing to invest in e-health."

Federal Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon says he still has big hopes that the mining tax will deliver much needed road funding for his electorate.

"We've had record amounts of infrastructure spending in the electorate over the last four years, but of course that's not complete," he said.

"There's more work there than can possibly be funded under usual budgetary situations.

"That's why returning the mining tax back to mining regions is so important."

Newcastle University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Caroline McMillen says she is pleased the Government's allocated more money for enabling programs to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"We have one of the largest enabling programs in the country so this will help us support the students who may not have had that first chance to get into university," she said.

"The Government has also invested an additional $54 million into maths and science education, to encourage more students into maths and science."